Italian doctor accused of killing COVID-19 patients to free beds: betrayal messages and disturbing interview

A doctor accused of deliberately administering a fatal overdose of anesthetic to two patients with covid-19 to free up hospital beds collapsed in the first wave of the pandemic in Italy has been under investigation for two months and is still under house arrest.

While there have been reports of doctors being forced to choose which patients to treat based on their chances of recovery amid the health collapse, this is believed to be the case. the first time a doctor has been charged with what could constitute euthanasia during the pandemic.

Carlo Mosca, 47 years old, head of the emergency department of the Montichiari, near Brescia, in northern Italy, was placed under house arrest on charges of intentional manslaughter. He is accused of causing the deaths of two patients, aged 61 and 80, while prescribe an excessive amount of pain relievers and muscle relaxants that are normally used when patients require intubation.

The deaths occurred in March, when the coronavirus swept through northern Italy. The investigation into the series of hospital deaths began after the The condition of patients will suddenly and inexplicably worsen.

According to investigators, several hospital agents had commented among themselves on the excessive use of drugs succinylcholine Yes propofol, the “treatment” used by Mosca. These drugs, which have an anesthetic effect, are used in patients who need to be intubated. Its disproportionate use can cause respiratory failure, leading to cardiac arrest and death.

The messages that accuse him

Among the evidence collected were the WhatsApp messages exchanged by two hospital nurses. “I cannot accept killing patients just because he wants to free up beds”said one. “I agree, he’s crazy ”, another replied.

In another conversation, a nurse reportedly revealed she needed to arrest the chief medical officer “To limit the number of deaths.”

One of the nurses also took a photo of Mosca’s medications and shared it on WhatApp to a colleague. He then asked him if Mosca had ever ordered him to administer these drugs: “I’m sorry but I don’t know what to think because it seems normal for everyone here ”, wrote.

The colleague replied that Mosca had asked him to administer these drugs to several patients, but he had refused, recommending his hospitalization to the doctor since. “There were still beds available.”

Three bodies were exhumed for autopsy and toxicology tests; suspicious levels of sedatives have been reported in at least one case. Police investigators said the substances were not included in the patient charts, as was the case for those who really needed it before intubation. They said that the doctor could also be accused of falsifying official documents.

Police said the drug administration caused a “Fatal respiratory depression” in patients. The arrest of the doctor, arrived on January 25, was necessary to prevent him from repeating the crime or interfering with the evidence.

His Mosca behavior was made worse by having repeatedly asked, before administering the substances, to be left alone with the patients that they would die soon. Also, after having read the survey, he urged his collaborators to declare the false.

The doctor acted “Not because of intolerable levity, recklessness or inexcusable inexperience” other “In full awareness of the presuppositions of their conduct” and with “the will to kill”said Judge Angela Corvi.

The cases investigated

Carlo Mosca is accused of causing the death of two patients: Christmas Bassi Yes Angelo Paletti, died between March 20 and 22. In the first case, according to investigators, the victim was not in such serious condition as to die within five minutes, as happened after Mosca’s intervention. However, on the morning of the 20th, Bassi had a respiratory attack. Dr Mosca asked the nurses to bring him succinylcholine and “They will leave him alone in the room with the victim”. Bassi died soon after and another doctor wrote in the medical file that the death was caused by “Sudden cardiac arrest.” This doctor was even surprised by the result and said that “under normal conditions he would have requested a diagnostic test “.

As for the second victim, also in this case the autopsy revealed that a “Severe respiratory depression” it was reportedly caused by the same drugs used with Bassi. The researchers claim that Mosca also falsified the medical history, to show conditions much more serious than those in which the victim found himself. In fact, the emergency department report showed that “Mr. Paletti was aware”, he spoke and could not be described as “a dying patient”.

For researchers, if the doctor had not administered these drugs, the patients probably would not have died.

“Three other abnormal deaths” are under investigation. Mosca, for his part, denies the charges.

“I still hear the hiss of oxygen”

Amid accusations, an interview with Mosca last June aired again, in which I remembered the times of health collapse in March, when investigators believe he killed the two patients.

The boss was always involved in the hospital, with the patients, in what to do

In this newspaper interview Corriere della Sera, Mosca said every day was a battle “To try to save as many lives as possible” Yes He recalled the exhaustion of those days: “I often called home after 9:30 at night. Sometimes he didn’t even call. The chief was always involved in the hospital, with the patients, in what to do ”.

Mosca also assured that these weeks of fighting covid-19 had marked him so hard that he continued to hear the hissing oxygen from patients in intensive care: “I still hear it, even now that it’s all turned off.”

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